The service provides 24-bit/192k FLAC streaming at about 29 times the audio quality of MP3. It can stream on iOS and Android phones as well as desktop computers. By contrast, Hi-Res music service rival Tidal does not offer a Hi-Res iOS streaming app.

Hi-Res streaming pricing starts at $24.99 per month, but users can elect a CD-quality streaming plan for $19.99. You can see all the plans below.

Qobuz is also a download site, and it claims to offer hard-to-find jazz and classical tracks.

Owner and chairmain of Qobuz, Denis Thébaud, said “Our teams have been working brilliantly for over a year with our recording and publishing partners to get to this point. I am convinced that what we have to offer, on both the streaming and download markets, will be a success amongst American music lovers.”

Qobuz was founded in 2007 in Paris and it currently streams music in 11 European countries.

6 Comments

If you are in the business of making a living creating “impressions” with your demo’s then the service will pay for itself. Getting the absolute most out of the original recording is the name of the game for me. I currently use Tidal and the quality is very good and the impressions are memorable. I’d like to see the app and how it navigates. Tidal’s app is not the best.

Add in the cost of a data plan to cover all the high res streaming, that doesn’t throttle you down, and very few can afford this. I don’t think the small market that can afford it is enough to support. It will fail.